Just Like Our Parents
by angel-of-gryffindor
Summary: A small incident in a cupbored takes Lily and James into the past and they witness something maybe a little too familuar. big OC, don't like don't read. LilyXJames only slightly angsty


Just Like Our Parents.

The silent corridors of Hogwarts were broken by an angry shout. The owner, Lily Evans; sixteen years old, shoulder-length dark red hair and vivid green eyes. Who she was shouting at, by name James Potter; also sixteen, tall with very messy black hair and sparkling hazel eyes behind glasses.

It had been a calm day until this moment were James and co had somehow managed to annoy miss Evans, but over the years it was getting easier.

"Potter!" Lily shouted from the other end of the corridor.

"Later." James laughed to his friends and bolted down the corridor, shortly followed by Lily.

James knew Hogwarts inside out but took a quick route to part of the abandoned corridors of Hogwarts, were girls lessons were taken back when the school was separated.

Finally James came to halt and Lily came in, wheezing, behind him. "Why – did – you – run – you…" she gasped.

James laughed, "Wanted to see how far you would run before giving up." He said jokingly.

Still breathing deeply, Lily stood up and stared James straight in his eyes, "did you think it was funny?" she snapped.

James frowned, she had been accusing his of everything lately, "I might, if I knew what you were talking about." He questioned.

Lily stood with her hands on her hips, "don't act innocent Potter, you know perfectly well what you did."

"No I don't." James retaliate and thought about just running off and leaving her there but he didn't really want to go to History of Magic.

Lily gave a harsh laugh, "well today's hilarious prank," she said sarcastically, "was turning all my textbook pages blank, so I don't know what I'm doing."

James let out a shaky sigh, a small amount of anger was bubbling in the very pit of his stomach, he looked away, pursed his lips and didn't answer.

"Well Potter?" Lily inquired angrily.

"Well what?" James snapped back.

"Aren't you going to change them back and apologise?" she told him.

It was James's turn to laugh harshly, "no I am not." He said bitterly, "cos I didn't do it."

"Yes you did!" Lily insisted.

"Ha, no I didn't, you just think I did because everything that is wrong in your life is my fault now!" James shouted back.

Lily took a step back from him, she had never known him to be this angry, "It was you because I've seen you do it with that scrap piece of parchment you lot always carry around." She told him in a know-it-all kind of way.

James was silent for a minuet before letting out a very short burst of laughter, "So watching me now are you?" he joked.

"Well, you do lot write on it a lot in public." Lily said quickly and tried not to blush.

James rolled his eyes, "I didn't blank your books." He told her wearily, "maybe one of the others did?"

Lily thought for a second, "but you lot do everything together, so you must have been a part of it." She snapped.

James groaned, "I had nothing, I repeat nothing, to do with your stupid textbooks. Yes I was there when Camren and Sirius blanked them but I didn't help! So leave me be!" James shouted at her angrily and he stormed through the door they had been standing next to because he knew it would take him where he needed to go in a flash.

"So you did know about it!" Lily shouted, coming after him.

"Oh, just shut up Evans!" James screamed.

There was a flash of light and there the pair stood, in the Charms classroom. James frowned, "we have History of Magic now." He whispered under his breath, "you don't have Charms now do you?" he asked Lily.

"Of course not. Maybe you thought of the wrong lesson." Lily said stiffly.

James rolled his eyes, "of course, its my fault." He muttered.

Lily glared at James before turning to the teacher, "sorry Professor Flit…" Lily's voice died away as the Charms teacher stood up.

He wasn't Flitwick; this guy was tall, young with a whiskey beard and dressed in dark blue robes. His grey eyes scanned the room and looked right though Lily and James, before he looked down at his register and began calling out people's names.

Lily and James didn't listen, they were both trying to figure out what was going on in their minds, but James snapped out of it when the professor got to a name he recognised, "Joshep Karn?"

"Here Professor Dult." Called a boy at the back.

James walked around to look at him and gasped; he looked exactly like Camren, scruffy golden hair, same shape face and same look of boredom so early on into a lesson, but his eyes weren't shocking green like Camren's, Joshep's were deep turquoise. It was Camren's dad.

Professor Dult continued to read off names, "David Longbottom? Eileen Prince? Susan Copper? Minva McGonaglle? Katherine Poll? And Ian Potter? Ian Potter?"

James stomach gave a squirm of excitement and he looked around for his dad but couldn't see him but Professor Dult did, "Mr Potter!" he shouted.

"What?" said an upset voice from behind James.

James span around to see his fifteen-year-old father; messy raven hair, glasses, murky brown eyes and an expression mixed between annoyance and away with the pixies.

Joshep, who was sitting next to Ian, poked him hard in the side and nodded towards Professor Dult. Ian suddenly blushed, "yes, here Professor Dult, sorry." Ian said quickly.

Professor Dult didn't look amused but ticked him off and started talking, ignoring all of his students.

James stared in wonder at his father, they looked so alike it was creepy. Lily suddenly tapped him on the shoulder, "we should be getting out of here." She whispered.

"Let's stay for a while, nobody will miss us." James whispered back and just continued to watch Ian.

Ian looked all around the class before turning to Joshep, "guess what Jo'." He whispered.

"You found your brain." Joshep whispered back and continued to copy the work from the board.

"No." Ian said and moved closer to Joshep – so did James – "I'm in love." He said with a massive grin.

Joshep stopped writing and glared at Ian, "with who this time Ian?" he asked, "Becky? Annie? Zoë? Or is it Mary?" he asked in a bored tone and pointed to each red-haired girl in the class as he said their name.

Ian didn't really seem to be listening, he just sighed dreamily, staring at someone. Both Joshep and James followed his eyeline and found another red-haired girl with large hazel eyes. James's eyes, it was James's mother.

"Katherine Poll!" Joshep nearly shouted in almost disgust, "you have got to be kidding me? Please say you are?" he asked hopefully.

Ian just shook his head with a silly smile on his face. The scene began to fade but James just managed to see Joshep bang his head on the table.

It was only then that James realised that he had had the same convocation with Camren in fourth year over Lily. He guessed that they were more like their fathers than they knew.

"All right Potter, you saw that your dad was as hopeless in love as you are." Lily snapped, bringing James's attention back to her, "can we go now?" she asked.

James was about to say yes when another scene began to appear; it was of Joshep and Ian again, they were standing in a corridor looking out onto one of the courtyards. It was raining heavily outside so they were just staring out, like they were hoping that something interesting would happen.

When the scene was whole, James could hear what they were saying; they were already halfway through convocation.

"Mate, I can understand why you fancy her." Joshep said as he jumped up onto a ledge, "Kathy's pretty, but she's…." he trailed off.

Ian looked innocently up at Joshep, "she's what Jo'?" he asked.

Joshep took a deep breath and looked away from Ian, "she's pretty but bitter and she hates you." He told Ian quickly.

Ian looked down, "oh." He said softly, "how do you know she hates me?" he asked.

Joshep looked down on Ian, "well apart from the fact she makes it perfectly clear herself, she told Susan that she hated you and Susan told me. Sorry mate." He said in an apologetic tone.

Ian shrugged, "its fine, that's what happens in relationships isn't it." He said in a fake cheery voice.

Joshep laughed lightly, "I wouldn't know."

"I've always been meaning to ask you." Ian suddenly said with a frown line between his eyebrows, "why don't you want to date until you leave Hogwarts, I mean, don't you want the experience?"

"I don't want a relationship because if I do then I will get close to the person and then when we leave Hogwarts, we'll never see each other again and that would break my already fragile heart." Joshep told him softly and James could see the inner hurt in his eyes, Camren had that look too.

"But you would see her again." Ian said in a confused tone, "the Wizarding community isn't that big and more or less of each Wizarding family knows one another."

"The Wizarding community is bigger than you think and we might have different dreams and I wouldn't dream of holding someone I love back from anything they wanted to do." Joshep said with his hand on his heart.

"At least someone understands women." Lily whispered harshly in James's ear but he just brushed it off.

"That's sweet but I'm not going to give up on Kathy, I really think I can make her come around." Ian said with quite a bit of hope in his voice.

Joshep laughed harshly and looked out into the rain again. Ian frowned up at him, "what's that meant to mean?" he asked.

"What's what meant to mean?" Joshep asked almost innocently.

"That laugh. Don't you think I can?" Ian questioned.

"Braver men than you have tried to get Kathy to go out with them and no one has succeeded." Joshep told him with a shrug, "just don't think you should bother."

"Shut up Jo." Ian snapped, "you don't know anything about relationships or women, for all you know you could die alone." He said quite harshly and turned away from Joshep, who looked in shock.

Finally Joshep shouted, "you arrogant little swine! How dare you! For all you know you could die alone!" he stood up on the ledge and pointed an accusing finger at Ian.

"Oh shut up! You don't know, I could change her!" Ian shouted back.

"No, you shut up for once and listen to me!" Joshep shouted, jumping off the ledge and landing right in front of Ian, he was more than a couple of inches taller but Ian stood his ground. "Katherine will never change, get used to that fact. And if you think that the next step is changing yourself, don't bother because she will still find faults in whatever you change into." By this time Joshep was very red in the face.

James turned to Lily and whispered with a wicked smile, "sounds like you."

Lily didn't get time to reply before Joshep began speaking again, "its like your mum always says; 'if people don't like you for who you really are than don't bother with them.'"

Ian looked slightly helpless, like he knew Joshep was right but he didn't want to give up fighting his corner, "but, it might work out." He finally said quietly.

Joshep groaned out of frustration, "open your eyes!" he shouted and threw his arms up in the air, "she is a Ravenclaw, you are a Gryffindor. She is smart, you are 'dwelling the hearts of brave' or whatever it is you're doing in Gryffindor. She enjoys doing her homework and the library, you enjoy Quiddich and having fun." He told Ian, counting each off on his fingers, "I've heard of opposites attracting but you and Kathy are worlds apart."

Ian didn't look Joshep in the eyes, but he had that guilty look about his face that James only too well recognised from the twins.

Joshep jumped back onto the ledge. After a couple of seconds Ian pulled himself up just so his eyes were visible over the ledge, "I'm sorry for what I said Jo'." He whispered, "I didn't mean it."

Joshep smiled, "I know. Neither did I. Forgive and forget?" he asked.

"Forgive and forget." Ian agreed and jumped down just as a girl with a hooked nose, sallow face and greasy black hair came walking down the corridor.

"That's Snape's mum." Lily told James with a gasp.

James had to admit Snape looked a lot like her. Eileen smiled as she walked past Ian and Ian raised his hand in an attempt to wave but didn't quite get there.

Joshep sniggered, "she fancies you Ian, you should date her instead." He joked.

"Shut it Jo', she isn't what I look for." Ian snapped back.

"Oh, yes, that's right you only fancy girls who are mean to you and hate your guts." Joshep laughed.

Ian laughed sarcastically, "you're a comic genius." He commented just as two more girls came down the corridor.

The first was a Hufflepuff, she had long blond hair that had a wild look about it but it was her eyes that James noticed; shocking green, just like Camren's and she had his mouth too. It was Camren mum.

"Hello Susan!" Joshep called and she blushed.

Susan had to practically look horizontal to look up at Joshep, "hello Jo', what are you doing?" she asked kindly, she had a very dreamy, soft voice that had a hint of muskyness in it.

Joshep just shrugged, "don't know, just talking to Ian."

James looked down at his father who had his hand in his hair, ruffling it up even more, and was blushing as the other girl stood by.

James recognised her from the Charms class, it was Katherine, his mother; she had a pile of books held to her chest and a bored look about her face. Several times Ian opened his mouth to say something but didn't.

"What are you doing at the weekend Jo'?" Susan asked as even more colour raised to her cheeks.

"Nothing. Why?" Joshep said, rolling over onto his stomach and staring straight down at Susan.

For a while Susan didn't say anything, but Katherine poked her and Susan said, "I was wondering if you wanted to come to Hogsmead with me this weekend?" she had a lot of hope in her voice.

Joshep pondered that for a few seconds before he grinned widely, "I'd love to." He said and Susan's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

Joshep then caught Ian's eye, he looked very smug because Joshep had said he wouldn't date in Hogwarts, so he quickly added, "but only as friends. Okay?"

Susan's smile faded slightly but she nodded. This peaceful scene was ruined, however by Katherine yelling, "Oh, leave me alone Potter!"

James spun around to Ian, who was back up against the wall with a look of slight fear on his face. Katherine was frowning and was red in the face, "I would never date you, you're an arrogant git and a complete loser." She shouted at him, "so leave me alone!"

And with that she stormed off down the corridor and out of sight; James kept his eyes on her the whole time, he couldn't believe she could be so mean to the man she was going to marry.

Lily also had similar thoughts, but hers were that she recognised that redness to the face, it wasn't anger, it was embarrassment. Lily had it every time she shouted at James. Katherine secretly fancied Ian, like she did James but she didn't tell him.

"Are you okay Ian?" James heard Joshep ask.

"I'm fine." Ian croaked and the scene faded.

As he and Lily stood in darkness once more, James started to feel uneasy, all he wanted to do was go back to class and not here, watching his father being humiliated and traumatised; he had enough of that in his own time.

"Let's get out of here." He told Lily in a small voice.

Lily could see the hurt in James's eyes and that he was fighting back tears but she felt guilty because she was acting just like Katherine and now that she had seen what happens after she walks away, she felt bad, how could she do something like that?

They turned to leave when a scene of a dorm came into view. It was a Gryffindor dorm; it was dark outside and only two boys were there; both drying themselves off.

Singing came to their ears as the scene became clear, "I don't want anyone but you." Sang the boy by the window, "you make me happy when I am blue."

"Stop singing Jo'!" shouted Ian, pulling his towel off.

Joshep lifted his towel to glare at Ian, "what's your problem?" he asked Ian.

Ian turned away without answering. Joshep began to whistle while continuing to dry his hair and Ian pulled on his pj top.

"How was your date?" Ian finally asked.

Joshep tugged the towel off his head to revel his very scruffy hair and he scowled at Ian, "it wasn't a date." He corrected Ian, "just two friends going around Hogsmead together and it was fine thank you for asking."

Ian smiled wearily, "great." He said half-heartedly.

"We should go." James whispered to Lily but she was quite interested in what boys get up to behind dorm doors.

"But I wanna see what happens." She whispered back and waved him down.

Joshep was watching Ian wonder around the dorm, aimlessly, "What's wrong." Joshep asked.

Ian looked at him with startled expression, "nothing." He said quickly.

Joshep laughed humorously, "I'm not stupid Ian, what's wrong with you?"

Ian sighed, placed a ring he had been wearing on his bed side and said, without even looking at Joshep, "since you went out with Susan, and you said you never would, I thought I might give up Quiddich, like I wouldn't have before."

Silence fell between them, Joshep dropped his towel and his jaw, "you're going to give up Quiddich?" he said, shocked. Suddenly a deep frown line, like the one Remus had when they were doing something naughty, appeared between Joshep's eyebrows, he pursed his lips, "this is because of Kathy isn't it?" he asked thought gritted teeth.

Ian's eyes delved to the floor and he nodded slowly. Joshep groaned; he made his way over to Ian, placed his hands on Ian's shoulders, and made him look at him, "listen to me Ian." Joshep said softly, "as your friend, I am worried. The day you should change who you really are is the day you become friends with Black or Malfoy or the day you fall in love with Princess. Hate to say it, but get a grip."

Ian smiled weakly, "always sensitive." He joked.

Joshep sauntered back across the room, "who needs to be sensitive when I'm friends with a divvy like you." He laughed.

Ian laughed too. The pair got into bed and didn't talk for a little while, they listened to the wind howling at the window, "Joshep?" Ian suddenly said in a strange singsong tone.

"Ian." Joshep replied in the same tone.

"Do you fancy Susan?" Ian asked.

Joshep wrinkled his nose in thought, "I think I do, but I've known her for so long, I guess she has grown up a lot and she is pretty." He said thoughtfully, "but…" he added slowly.

"But what?" Ian inquired, sitting up in bed.

"But I don't know if I can really see her like that, you know more than a friend. I mean, wouldn't it be weird?" Joshep said with a confused look around his face.

Ian shrugged, "dunno, give it a year, then you can make up your mind." He suggested.

The peaceful scene vanished once more. "Shall we go?" James asked Lily again, holding the door handle to the way out.

Lily turned to him, "don't you want to see what happens?" she asked sweetly.

James frowned, "but I know how it ends, Ian does get Katherine, they have three kids, the end. Coming?" he snapped.

"But James, that's how every story ends, don't you want to know how they got there? That's always the best bit in a story." Lily persuaded.

Before James could open his mouth a scene appeared but it wasn't Ian and Joshep this time, it was Katherine and Susan. They were by the Black Lake, wrapped up warm, must have been the beginning of the new school year, and just sitting and talking in the snow.

"So, you and Karn are an item yet?" Katherine asked from behind her scarf.

Susan shifted uneasily, "no." she said almost bitterly.

"Why not? I thought he likes you?" Katherine said, turning to face Susan.

"He does, I think." Susan replied. She sighed heavily, "I don't know, just when we're getting along really well and he has his arm around me and he stares into my eyes…" Susan drifted off, staring at the sky with a dreamy look about her.

Katherine throw some snow at her, "Susan, stop dreaming! What does he do next?" she asked eagerly.

"Then he coughs, takes his arm away and reads a book or does anything but look at me!" Susan told her angrily.

The pair sat in silence. "Not just boys who have the trouble." James whispered as he sat down on the snow and pulled Lily down with him.

"Ow. I never said we didn't." Lily said stubbornly as she fell next to him and she blushed by how close they were.

"He's a boy." Katherine finally said, "They're a very slow species."

"Like you would know." Susan said under her breath.

"What?" Katherine asked.

"I said; like you would know." Susan said louder.

"Yeah I would." Katherine snapped back.

Susan gave a burst of laughter, much like the one Joshep gave, "yeah right, the most you know about boys are from books, you haven't even had a boyfriend." Susan said harshly.

"I so have!" Katherine shouted.

Susan sat up on her knees so she was above Katherine, "I meant a proper boyfriend, ones you had when you were under eleven don't count." She told her bossily.

"They so do!" Katherine shouted, too sitting up on her knees.

Susan shook her head and opened her mouth to speak but a yell stopped her, "get out of the way!" it shouted.

The two girls turned to see who it was, so did James and Lily; only to see someone sliding down their way. Lily and James jumped out of the way, even though they couldn't have been possibly been hit. Susan and Katherine squealed and jumped back just as the person came skidding to a halt by the Lakeside.

"Joshep?" Susan shouted when the snow cleared.

Lily and James were shocked to see him too, but he wasn't smiling like he had just done that for fun, he look really angry, there was a trickle of blood coming out of his mouth and from the back of his head and his hands were very red, except for his knuckles that were as white as the snow and there were burn marks all over his robes.

"What's going on?" Susan asked him anxiously as she helped him up.

"I'm duelling with Malfoy." Joshep growled and whipped the blood from his mouth.

"Duelling? Why?" Susan began brushing him off but he stepped away.

"Get off Susan." He snapped.

"Looks like the toilet will be seeing a lot of your head Karn!" shouted a sneering voice from the top of the hill, leading to one of the courtyards of Hogwarts.

Joshep pointed his wand at the boy, he didn't even say anything, but there was a flash of light and who had shouted came sliding down too.

"Oh really Malfoy?" Joshep spat as Malfoy landed at his feet.

Malfoy pointed his wand straight at Joshep's face but Joshep got there first and let, what looked like, fire appear out of the end of his wand and stop just millimetres above Malfoy's nose.

"Say I win or I burn your face off." Joshep hissed with the very look of evil on his face.

Lily saw that Susan still had her arms outstretched, like she was ready to pull Joshep back if he did burn Malfoy's face off.

Malfoy was sweating, "alright." He wheezed, "you win."

A great look of triumph passed over Joshep's face, he retracted the fire and grinned down at Malfoy, "now you leave Lupin alone or I'll burn your arse off, got it?" he said spitefully.

Malfoy nodded and made a quick get away.

"Did he just say Lupin?" James whispered to Lily as Ian came into view, followed by a boy, about fourteen, with brown hair and honey coloured eyes.

"You didn't have to do that." He said quietly to Joshep.

Joshep laughed, "but it wasn't fair that he was picking on you Angus." He said cheerfully.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you much?" Ian asked frantically, "Come on let's get you cleaned up." Ian said kindly and he and Angus led Joshep away.

Halfway up the hill Joshep turned and shouted back to Susan, "see you in the common room! I'll bring food!"

Susan stared after him, "I am never going to understand him." She whispered to herself.

Katherine was still staring after them even when Susan turned away and sat back down, "what's wrong Kathy?" Susan asked looking at her friends' funny expression.

"I didn't know Potter was so kind." Katherine said dreamily.

"Then ask him out." Susan told her shortly.

Katherine's head snapped around to Susan, "I can't do that!" she shouted and kneeled next to her, "after all these years of being mean to him, he'll never forgive me." She said frantically.

"True, but will you ever forgive yourself if you don't ask him?" Susan inquired.

Katherine thought – Lily was thinking the same thing – then said, "maybe I will just ask him if he wants to hang out, take things slowly and maybe something will come of it?" Katherine said quietly.

"Maybe." Susan agreed.

The scene faded away, but Lily and James still sat on the ground, shoulders together but not noticing. They continued to sit in silence for a long time, their fingers millimetres from each other; James sighed after he had finished thinking over how he behaved around Lily and how much he was actually like his father.

When he sighed Lily looked soulfully at him, slowly he looked back and there was a certain spark they both felt.

James quickly snapped out of it, not wanted to revel his deep down feelings to her yet, "um, lets go." He croaked and stood up.

Lily blushed and stood too, "it didn't take Kathy very long before she realised she liked him." She laughed.

James smiled, "love knows no boundaries or rules and it answers to no one." He said softly.

Lily almost kissed him there and then for saying that but a new scene appeared. It took James and Lily by surprise; it was a deserted corridor, growing dark outside and Ian and Katherine were standing, with their arms around each other, by a wall.

"Thanks for my lesson today." Katherine whispered.

"Anything for you." Ian whispered back and nuzzled her nose.

"I wish you could stay with me all night." Katherine said hopefully.

Ian shrugged, "why not?" he questioned.

Katherine frowned slightly, "you have practice." She said.

Ian looked suddenly surprised, quickly checked his watch and swore loudly, "Joshep's going to kill me." He shouted and ran down the corridor.

Katherine, Lily and James followed him quickly; they ran to the Quiddich Pitch, players dressed in scarlet and gold were walking the opposite way with broomsticks over their shoulders.

"Jo' is going to kill you." One of the Chasers said to Ian.

"He's really unhappy." Said another.

Ian looked terrifed as he looked out onto the pitch; Joshep was just standing there with a blank look on his face and with a Beaters bat in one hand and he was throwing an inactivated Bludger up, bouncing it off the crook of his elbow and catching it again, all the while not looking.

Ian sighed, "stay here." He told Katherine.

Slowly he walked out onto the pitch, he stopped a little away from Joshep, who hadn't even acknowledged that Ian had arrived, "hay Jo'." Ian said softly and ruffled his hair, "sorry I wasn't at practice. I was with…" he tried to explain but in the blink of an eye Joshep had thrown the Bludger up and hit it in Ian's direction, missing him by centimetres.

Ian jumped back in shock; Joshep's face was twisted with rage, "you missed practice _again_ Ian!" he shouted, "and all for what? Katherine Poll; the girl who until this year, hated your very life!"

"I just lost track of time." Ian explained.

Joshep shook his head violently, "not good enough." He snapped.

"Oh, come on, you've done it." Ian retaliated.

"I have never missed practice, I have never blown you out for a girl and I have never ignored you when you had a problem!" Joshep screamed and lobbed the bat at Ian and this time it hit him on the hip.

"Don't lie!" Ian shouted back, massaging his hip, "you've blown me out for Susan before."

"Once! Once Ian, not five times and that was because we were doing a project!" Joshep reminded him spitefully.

Ian looked immediately guilty. Joshep sighed and took some deep breaths, "start pulling your weight Ian, or you're off the team." Joshep told Ian eerily calmly.

Ian looked shocked, "you can't take me off the team for missing a few practices." He stammered.

Joshep walked past him and picked up a box with some balls in it; Ian caught him by the arm to stop him from leaving, "you can't kick me off the team." He hissed.

"If your heart isn't in this Ian, then I'll have to." Joshep replied almost mournfully.

"It is, but Kathy is important to me too." Ian told him.

"And you don't think Susan isn't. Don't you think that all those time I was with you doing nothing just so you weren't alone, I could have been with her?" Joshep said angrily, "don't you think that all those times I ditched Susan for you, I felt bad and guilty just leaving her there?"

"Then you know how I feel." Ian snapped.

"No, I don't." Joshep laughed humourlessly, "because it was as my dad always said; when worst comes to worst, friends come first. And I always put you first." Joshep spat and tried to get out of Ian's grip.

"You are my friend but I love Katherine." Ian said quickly, not wanting Joshep to go.

"And you think I don't love Susan? I love her more than anybody but you were always more important." Joshep confessed, "but now, I don't know why I bothered."

Joshep ripped his arm out of Ian's grip, accidentally hitting Ian in the face; Katherine ran forwards to check he was all right. Joshep's face turned to disgust.

"So first you don't turn up, then you bring her onto out patch. Nice going Ian." Joshep spat.

"Jo'!" Ian called after him through a bloody nose.

"One more chance Ian!" Joshep called back, "in everything." And with that he walked out of the pitch and Lily swore she saw tears in his eyes.

The scene turned to black again, leaving a strange cold air around them.

"Didn't expect that." Lily whispered.

"Me neither." James said and unknowingly took Lily's hand.

She blushed the second their skin touched but didn't say anything, "I knew they fought but I didn't think they actually hurt each other." James told her.

The crackle of the common room fire came to their ears before the scene unravelled itself; Ian was sitting by himself with a blooded rag in one hand and he was just staring into the fire.

The portrait suddenly burst open and a very angry looking Susan stormed in; James and Lily couldn't believe how angry she looked.

"You!" she shouted at Ian and grabbed him by the front of his collar; Ian looked terrified, "what have you done to Jo'?" she demanded.

"What do you mean?" Ian snapped and pushed her away, "he did this to me." He pointed to his still red nose.

"I don't care what he did to you." Susan hissed leaning towards Ian, "what have you done to make Joshep so ruddy mad?"

Ian suddenly looked guilty, "I missed practice." He told her quietly.

Susan rolled her eyes, "I know that, he just told me but what else have you done?" she stamped her foot angrily.

"I don't know. We had a bit of a falling out, I think." Ian said slowly.

Susan groaned, "over Kathy I'm guessing."

Ian nodded guiltily, "where is he now?" he asked gingerly.

Susan shrugged, "he stormed off after having a go at me." She said mournfully.

"What?" Ian breathed.

Susan sighed, "I went down to the Quiddich field to see Joshep, he was destroying the changing room, I asked him what was wrong and he said you had missed practice. I told him he might be over reacting and of course Joshep being a Karn, got angry, shouted at me and stormed off." She told Ian angrily.

"So you don't know where he is?" Ian asked.

"Of course I don't!" Susan shouted, "I thought you would, you know, being his supposed best friend and all."

Ian began to think and Lily thought it looked like hard work. "We could try the Forbidden Forest." He suggested slowly.

Susan frowned, "why there?"

"I don't know. I've seen him go in and out of there whenever he's upset." Ian explained quickly, got up and they both went for the portrait hole.

The scene quickly went dark and then light again, unveiling part of the Forbidden Forest; trees surrounded a ditch in the ground and in the ditch stood Joshep.

His face streaked with tears, his eyes unfocused and a dagger in one hand; he was staring at a collection of photos he had stuck to one of the trees.

"What's he doing?" Lily whispered to James but he had no idea either.

Suddenly Joshep flung the dagger at a picture of Ian, "you abandoned me!" he screamed at the pictures.

James and Lily took a step backwards; even Camren had never behaved like this.

Joshep tore the dagger out of the picture and began shredding all of the other photos; ones of him and Ian, himself and Susan, even ones of his parents.

"You all deserted me! Left me! All had somewhere better to go, something better to do!" he cried.

The shredded pictures were picked up by the wind and were carried away.

Lily and James wanted to do something beside watch Joshep have some kind of mental breakdown; Lily just wanted to give him a big hug and James wanted to talk him out of doing anything stupid. But they couldn't and it killed them to watch.

Joshep finally collapsed to the ground, the dagger stuck firmly in the tree and one of the only remaining pictures in hand. He began to cry silently, "you always promised to be there for me." Joshep hissed to the photo and tore it down the middle, "you said you would never leave." He tore it again, "you said you would never lie." He tore it a final time and let it into the wind like the others, "but you did and now I am alone."

Joshep lay down on the ground and fell asleep. Lily and James just watched him, wanting to help. James had never heard the full story about Camren's dad but apparently he had lost both of his own parents at a young age and it seemed obvious that Ian had been important to him and Ian dating Katherine was like dating the enemy, true betrayal in Joshep's eyes.

The scene blinked, this time it was morning and Joshep still lay in the same position but looked extremely pale.

Lily gasped at the sight of him and grabbed James's arm, "is he…still alive?" she breathed.

James was in similar shock, "I don't know." He whispered back.

"Joshep!" came a voice from not too far away.

James looked around and could just see the outline of two people making their way through the Forest and before he could help himself, he shouted, "hay! Over here!"

"They can't hear you." Lily reminded him.

James sighed, "I know." He mumbled.

"Jo'!" called Susan's voice.

"Where are you mate?" shouted Ian.

Lily could just make them out; she tugged on James's sleeve and nodded towards them. Susan came into proper view, she looked awful; her eyes were tired, her hair was even messier than usual and her skin was a sickly white.

"Jo'!" she called again.

James looked back at Joshep; he still hadn't moved or reacted to them calling out his name.

"Susan!" Ian called and came galloping through the trees holding pieces of shredded paper, "look at these." He said breathlessly.

Susan frowned and looked at them, suddenly her eyes opened in shock, "these are Jo's photos." She gasped.

Ian nodded, "he must have been really angry."

Susan wasn't listening; she was fanatically looking around. "Look this way and down you silly cow." Lily hissed under her breath.

Susan began walking their way and both Lily and James gave an inner sigh of relief when she fell off the edge of the ditch.

"Are you okay?" Ian asked running over to her.

Susan cursed under her breath. She looked around and finally her eyes landed in Joshep, "Jo'? Jo'!" Susan scrabbled to her feet and kneeled beside him.

Ian quickly followed; he cupped Joshep's face in his hands, "Joshep? Can you hear me?" he shouted.

Joshep's eyes twitched and flickered open slightly. A smile spread across Ian's face, "oh thank Gryffindor." He breathed.

Joshep's mouth moved but none of them could hear what he said, "say again honey." Susan whispered to him.

James and Lily fell to their knees beside the trio too. "I said I'm sorry." Joshep croaked slightly louder.

"For what?" Ian inquired, covering Joshep with his cloak.

"Everything." Joshep replied weakly, "I don't hate you."

"No. I'm the one who's sorry, I was selfish." Ian said quickly.

Joshep smiled lightly and his eyes closed again, "Jo'? Wake up." Susan said and tapped his face.

"Joshep? Don't go to sleep." Ian told him, but Joshep didn't stir.

The scene faded quickly. James sighed heavily and stood up but Lily couldn't move; her eyes were fixed on where Joshep had been lying.

"Lily? What's wrong?" James asked softly and sat back next to her.

Lily wiped away a tear, "nothing." She snapped weakly.

James said nothing; instead he hugged her tightly.

Lily hugged him back; it felt nice to be hugged by James, it made her feel safe and that nothing from the outside world could harm them.

Suddenly the darkness was broken by someone flinging the door open; the sudden bright light nearly blinded James and Lily but still with their arms entwined around each other they tried to see who it was. Unfortunately for them, they didn't need to see who it was to know, "you traitor James!" shouted Camren.

James quickly let go of Lily, now his eyes had adjusted to the light, and stood up to face his friend, "this isn't what it looks like." He insisted.

Camren looked as angry as his father had done on the Quiddich pitch at Ian, "oh really. Well it looks like you just ditched History of Magic to hide in a broom closet with Evans." Camren spat.

James opened his mouth but couldn't find the right words. Lily stood up to face her enemy, "look Karn, I think you might be over reacting." She said calmly.

"I don't give two dams what you think Evans." Camren growled, "I just wanna know what the hell you two are doing in this closet?"

Lily and James exchanged glances, could they really tell Camren what they had been watching? Would he believe them if they did tell the truth? So, with nothing to say, they both stared at the floor.

Camren sighed angrily, "nice to know where your priorities lie James." He spat and walked off.

"Cam'!" James called and went after him, Lily following behind him, "Cam', wait!"

"I don't want to hear your lies James!" Camren called over his shoulder.

"What's going on?" asked Sirius as they all came to a corner.

"James and Evans have been snogging in the broom closet." Camren told him angrily.

Sirius shared the same look, "Ew, James. That's gross." He hissed.

"We weren't snogging." Lily insisted, but secretly wished it was true.

"Then what were you doing?" Camren demanded.

Lily sighed, she was going to tell them the truth, whether they choice to believe it was a different matter, but she couldn't bare to see friends torn apart; not after what she had just witnessed.

"If you want to know the truth then here it is," she told them and took a deep breath, "we went into the closet because it can take you to any classroom you need but something went weird and we ended up watching the past."

Camren and Sirius looked shock but said nothing; they looked at James who continued to explain, "it was from when our dad's were about our age. We saw their fall outs, but also how they sorted everything out. There was a bit of romance in there too but…" James trailed off; he couldn't tell Camren than he had seen his father's breakdown.

The four stood in silence, until Sirius said in a small voice, "prove it."

Lily and James looked at each other, "well, your dad, Camren, hated James's mother when they were younger." Lily told him.

"Common fact." Camren said breezily.

"Joshep got into a fight with Malfoy to protect Remus's dad." James said happily.

"They used to call Snape's mum Princess." Lily injected.

"My grandmother's saying was; if people don't like you for who you really are, then don't bother with them." James told them.

"Anything else?" Sirius asked lazily.

James sighed, "Joshep's place to hide and be upset was a ditch somewhere in the Forbidden Forest." He said quickly.

Camren looked shocked then content, "I believe you James." He whispered.

Sirius looked in shock at Camren, "but he was still in the closet with Evans." He snapped.

Camren frowned again, "so what were you doing in the closet, so close?" he inquired with a hum.

James ruffled his hair, "she was upset, so I gave her a hug." He told them quietly and Lily blushed.

Camren laughed his song laugh, "you really need to get a grip." He told James jokingly.

James smiled, "always sensitive." He said.

Camren laughed again; turned on his heel, "who needs to be sensitive when I'm friends with a divvy like you." And with that he walked off down the corridor to Remus who had been waiting at the other end.

James and Lily's mouths fell open; he had just quoted his own father without knowing it, "isn't that what?" Lily breathed.

"I think it was." James said, unbelieving.

Sirius scowled at the both of them, "I don't like your privet games." He pouted and stormed off after Camren.

James and Lily laughed. Lily stopped and became serious, "James." She said softly.

James looked at her kindly and took her hand again, "yes Lily."

Lily blushed at their touch and at what she was about to say, "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out some time." She suggested, "you know, take things slow and maybe…"

"Something will come of it." James finished her sentence.

James kissed her hand lightly, "I would love to." He whispered in her ear.

Lily went brighter red then she had ever done; she kissed him on the cheek and they walked off down the corridor hand in hand.

"I guess we're more like our parents than we know." James thought out loud.

"Maybe you are." Lily said, "I wonder if it will all end the same?" she wondered.

James shrugged lightly, "who knows, but I hope so." He grinned and joined his friends.

Lily rolled her eyes and walked off; it was only then she realised why they had ended up in that closet in the first place, "James! Camren! Sirius!" she shouted down at them and they gave her shocked looks, "what about my books?"

The three roared with laughter; James pointed his wand at her bag. Lily opened one and the words wrote themselves and in the front of one of the books, in neat boy's handwriting, said; _love knows no boundaries or rules and it answers to no one._

Lily smiled to herself and carried on down the corridor, happy in the knowledge that the trip to the past was the best for the future.


End file.
